Flat 3x on every spin vs a multiplier that climbs to 50x — that one change defines the sequel.
Cleopatra vs Cleopatra II: How IGT Changed Its Most Famous Slot
The short answer
The original Cleopatra (IGT) awards 15 free spins with a flat 3x multiplier — every win in the bonus triples, period. Cleopatra II keeps the Egyptian theme and 5x3/20-line frame but changes the bonus fundamentally: free spins come with a multiplier that increases every spin, climbing as high as 50x by the end of a long retriggered run. Result: Cleopatra II is markedly more volatile — flatter base game, but bonus rounds with far bigger top-end potential when retriggers extend the multiplier climb.
In this article
IGT's Cleopatra is arguably the most successful slot ever made — decades on casino floors and still running, plus a durable online version. Cleopatra II is the official sequel: same queen, same Sphinx scatters, same 20-line structure. IGT changed exactly one thing that matters — how the free-spins multiplier works — and that one change completely alters the game's personality.
The multiplier difference
Illustrative example
| Feature | Cleopatra | Cleopatra II |
|---|---|---|
| Free spins awarded | 15 (Sphinx scatters) | Bonus wheel / scatter award, retriggers extend |
| Multiplier | Flat 3x on every free-spin win | Rises each spin — climbs toward 50x on extended runs |
| Bonus personality | Steady, predictable tripling | Back-loaded — the big pays live in the late spins |
| Volatility feel | Moderate | Higher — more of the value sits deep in the bonus |
That back-loading is the whole story of Cleopatra II. A five-spin bonus at low multipliers is forgettable; a retriggered 15+ spin run where the multiplier reaches 30x, 40x, 50x is where the game pays its biggest awards. The original spreads its value evenly — 3x on every spin — so its bonuses are more consistent but never reach the sequel's ceiling.
What stayed identical
- 20 paylines on a 5x3 frame with Egyptian symbol set — scarabs, eyes of Horus, the Sphinx, Cleopatra herself as the top symbol.
- Cleopatra wild doubling line wins it contributes to (both games).
- Sphinx scatters as the bonus trigger.
- Land-based and online availability for both — Cleopatra in particular is everywhere.
